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Trash: A True Story
Flipping through a bag of old photographs, Lynn Hellers relives her traumatic childhood growing up in the low-income row houses of Kingston, Ontario, in the 1970s and 80s. Against the backdrop of the dramatic social and political upheaval of the era, Lynn's young life is dominated by crushing poverty and the violent explosions of her alcoholic and abusive father. When his anger wasn't vented on their mother, he turned to Lynn and her younger siblings, who quickly learned to keep their thoughts to themselves. Amidst the burden of survival, Lynn's coming of age is further complicated by a profound crisis of faith and heartbreaking confusion around her sexuality. Her only respite came from her caring and gentle maternal grandparents, who offered a safe haven and encouraged her to pursue her passion for visual art as well as a determination to carve out a life for herself. Lynn's memoir is told with frank and unapologetic realism that is at times harshly troubling, and others bizarrely comical. It is a story of compelling resilience, crushing neglect, and unshakable hope.
- GenresNonfiction
262 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 26, 2015
2 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
About the author
Laurie Anne Hoover
2 books10 followersLaurie Anne Hoover was born in Kingston, Ontario where she received undergraduate and graduate degrees from Queen's University. She maintains an active art practice, largely in painting, with works ranging from surrealism to post-modernism. She is a secondary school teacher and now resides with her partner in Brighton, Ontario. TRASH is her first book.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 23, 2015
I haven't been this enthralled/saddened/frustrated/inspired by such fierce determination in a long time.
Read this book!
Read this book!
March 29, 2015
This was a wonderfully written memoir. Powerful storytelling and hard to put down. I look forward to reading more from this writer.
March 26, 2015
This is a story anybody can relate to that has abuse of all natures in their family. It so unbelievable how so many people cover things up and just figured its none of their business and denial when things are out. It is also about survival and following your dreams and not letting the evil win. I say its a for sure must read as everyone either knows someone who can relate or you yourself can relate.
February 22, 2017
This book is incredible! It takes a lot for me to say that, but I enjoyed it as much as The Glass Castle. Laurie is an incredibly gifted writer who makes you laugh through the pain. I look forward to seeing this book achieve great success one day.
March 9, 2017
I thought North of Normal by Cea Sunrise Person, which I read last week, was the most harrowing memoir I'd ever read. After all, running around routinely naked in the woods IS pretty weird. This book, however, takes over #1 as the most harrowing memoir I've read. How this author and her siblings and mother survived the drunken rages and continual beatings of the father is almost too awful to contemplate.
First of all, the family lived in complete poverty in Canada. Second, the drunken, rageful father never had a job and drank daily until he had passed out and pissed himself, often on the urine-soaked couch that was the primary piece of furniture in the family's house. The father virtually EVERY DAY beat up his wife or one of his four children before he passed out. The children often have nothing to eat, except "snot sandwiches," mayonnaise with tiny specks of pickle in it--if they even have that. The paternal grandmother runs a large shoplifting ring and gives clothes to the extended family, or sells them if she needs more money for booze. The mother is a beaten-down, daily-weeping battered wife. The children are continually thrown across the room, slapped, hit, and go to school with wounds all over their faces. The teachers suspect something's wrong, but the kids are so afraid of the father that they never crack and talk about the constant abuse going on in the house. It's a life that many children would commit suicide to escape. The only "normal" members of the extended family are the author's maternal grandparents, to whose apartment the author escapes every chance she gets.
The most amazing part of all is that the book has a happy ending. After a brief marriage to what she considers a wonderful man, the author realizes that it's women that she really loves. Judging from the acknowledgments, the author is now in a loving relationship with a woman. What the author goes through along the way to becoming the first person in her extended family to go to university is terrible: The embarrassment of never having decent clothing to wear; the sadness of the entire neighborhood's considering the family "trash"; having to hide outside to avoid the monstrous father; being continuously hungry; being beaten for getting good grades in school--it's worse than Oliver Twist.
This book is hard to put down. I would have given it five stars except the bad/lack of editing, the overuse of passive voice, and the odd spellings (three times minuscule is spelled "miniscule"; once it's spelled correctly) make this a difficult read. Despite this shortcoming, it is a gripping and powerful book with the unlikeliest of happy endings, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes memoirs. I will not soon forget this book.
First of all, the family lived in complete poverty in Canada. Second, the drunken, rageful father never had a job and drank daily until he had passed out and pissed himself, often on the urine-soaked couch that was the primary piece of furniture in the family's house. The father virtually EVERY DAY beat up his wife or one of his four children before he passed out. The children often have nothing to eat, except "snot sandwiches," mayonnaise with tiny specks of pickle in it--if they even have that. The paternal grandmother runs a large shoplifting ring and gives clothes to the extended family, or sells them if she needs more money for booze. The mother is a beaten-down, daily-weeping battered wife. The children are continually thrown across the room, slapped, hit, and go to school with wounds all over their faces. The teachers suspect something's wrong, but the kids are so afraid of the father that they never crack and talk about the constant abuse going on in the house. It's a life that many children would commit suicide to escape. The only "normal" members of the extended family are the author's maternal grandparents, to whose apartment the author escapes every chance she gets.
The most amazing part of all is that the book has a happy ending. After a brief marriage to what she considers a wonderful man, the author realizes that it's women that she really loves. Judging from the acknowledgments, the author is now in a loving relationship with a woman. What the author goes through along the way to becoming the first person in her extended family to go to university is terrible: The embarrassment of never having decent clothing to wear; the sadness of the entire neighborhood's considering the family "trash"; having to hide outside to avoid the monstrous father; being continuously hungry; being beaten for getting good grades in school--it's worse than Oliver Twist.
This book is hard to put down. I would have given it five stars except the bad/lack of editing, the overuse of passive voice, and the odd spellings (three times minuscule is spelled "miniscule"; once it's spelled correctly) make this a difficult read. Despite this shortcoming, it is a gripping and powerful book with the unlikeliest of happy endings, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes memoirs. I will not soon forget this book.
July 26, 2015
As upsetting this book was I was unable to put it down. The story is painstaking, I am impressed by the recollection of the author. I have always valued books by either the writing OR the story, and I found this book was amazing in both aspects. I am excited to read anything else by this author.
August 26, 2015
I couldn't put it down, I was hooked from the very beginning, so well written, personal, gritty, sad, and surprisingly very funny at times when you least expect it. My hand covered my open mouth more than once!!
Looking forward to the next book!
Looking forward to the next book!
August 17, 2016
I literally stayed up all night reading this book and finished it after work the next day. A brutal and brave story.
September 19, 2016
An amazing read! I couldn't put it down!
June 17, 2018
It feels a mite strange to have an "it was amazing" star. Definitely a 5 star+ story!!
To say it was amazing for me..is to say that when anyone tells their internal story..THAT is amazing. The courage, the pain, the happiness, the 'balls' to speak up and out..that is amazing.
Now..is Laurie Anne Hoover--Lynn Hellers? Is this an autobiography?
Really..it is a story..a recounting of MANY lives..so many lives.
Oh humans..what are we..who are we?
Thank you Laurie Anne Hoover..you have done the amazing..written a book that is glaringly 'in your face' and makes humans ask questions. To everyone, anyone, that sees something questionable..ask..watch..don't give up..help.
Thankx again LAH..thank you.
(hah..and I remember that sandwich spread guck..lumpy snot is exactly what it looked like!!)
To say it was amazing for me..is to say that when anyone tells their internal story..THAT is amazing. The courage, the pain, the happiness, the 'balls' to speak up and out..that is amazing.
Now..is Laurie Anne Hoover--Lynn Hellers? Is this an autobiography?
Really..it is a story..a recounting of MANY lives..so many lives.
Oh humans..what are we..who are we?
Thank you Laurie Anne Hoover..you have done the amazing..written a book that is glaringly 'in your face' and makes humans ask questions. To everyone, anyone, that sees something questionable..ask..watch..don't give up..help.
Thankx again LAH..thank you.
(hah..and I remember that sandwich spread guck..lumpy snot is exactly what it looked like!!)
July 5, 2018
This book is an absolute must read. I found it difficult to put down. It’s written with such honesty and raw emotion and I’m proud of the author for sharing the story with us. At times I felt haunted by the neglect, physical and emotional abuse the four children went through and other times I felt like “ jumping up and down,” and cheering them on. In the end, the feeling I took away from the authors story, was how good overrules evil. Thats what the father was in my opinion, pure evil. Also that these four children despite the abuse, neglect and often lack of love, were all very bright and talented which shows wonderful perseverance. Thanks for sharing your true story Laurie, for being brave, true to yourself and strong. I hope you have found peace, you so deserve it. Sleep easy.
March 21, 2019
Powerful novel. Amazingly well written. The authors grit and determination shine thru. It was a horrible childhood to endure and I can’t help fiercely disliking the parents.
In the end it’s her determination to NOT be like her parents and want a better life for herself that sees her through.
Riveting read.
In the end it’s her determination to NOT be like her parents and want a better life for herself that sees her through.
Riveting read.
January 19, 2023
LOVED this book
March 17, 2017
Fantastic, gripping memoir. I hope she writes the sequel she hinted at in the epilogue. Despite the harrowing content, this was an absolute page-turner.
December 3, 2015
Heartbreaking, poignant, well written. Laurie,you are a strong, beautiful and resilient woman.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews